Blood and Bonds
by two-roads-and-a-penny
Summary: Friends are the family you choose. The one's who are there when your back's against the wall, there's no way out, and a mob of Purple Dragons level their guns at your head.


Another challenge from DeviantArt's Writer-Nexus. This ficlet is based on a picture by fellow deviant WinterHeath called Cornered. It's beautiful and powerful and I urge you all to view it, because my words do not do it justice.

* * *

 _Violence._

A solid crack rang out in the warehouse, signalling the last of his hockey sticks had broken in two. Casey grabbed both halves, blocking another swing from a thug to his right before knocking another to the ground.

 _In my blood._

There had only been two of them. Two measly little Dragon thugs, both skinny, cocky, and clearly new to the gang. Casey hadn't counted on a whole flock waiting in the adjacent building. He ducked another punch, too slow to avoid the sudden pipe charging at his stomach.

 _Spilling on the ground._

He staggered back from the blow, something warm and coppery in his mouth, dribbling down his lips. He spat, wiping the red from his face with the back of his hand as an amused chuckle trickled out with the blood. This was the most fun he'd had in weeks.

 _Can't stop the red._

More Dragons appeared. Too many. Pulling guns from their coats and smirking, like it was some power trip to bring a gun to a stick fight. Cowardly. Or smart. Casey couldn't decide which. Either way, he had no way out. Couldn't avoid a bullet in an open warehouse with no cover.

 _Won't stop._

He brandished his hockey stick, practically daring the gunman to shoot. If he was goin' down tonight, he was goin' down swingin'. Hard.

If only there was a way out…

 _A lifeboat._

Smoke suddenly filled the room, allowing Casey to hide from the bullets screaming his name around him. He fanned the smoke from his eyes in time to see a three fingered hand reaching for him.

"Move it, Jones!"

 _A parachute to stop the fall._

Casey grabbed the offered appendage, holding in a groan of pain as he was piggy-backed with his likely-cracked rib against a hard turtle shell.

"Hang on!"

The grapple was fired through the skylight, hooking and hoisting the two vigilantes to the roof just as the smoke began to clear.

 _Back to back._

Casey was heaved up and over the ledge unceremoniously, crashing onto the roof with a thud just as a bullet ricocheted through the glass he'd been climbing over. He stared with wide eyes until his rescuer offered him a smirk and another hand up.

"That's two in one night, Jones."

Casey grinned, taking the offered hand. "Put it on my tab."

 _Diving with me._

Following his friend to the edge of the building, Casey frowning at the distance to the adjacent roof. "You sure we can—"

A bullet whizzed past his cheek, taking a chunk of hair with it.

"One way to find out!"

Taking a few steps back, both ran for the edge at full speed, jumping to the next building with nothing but momentum and a silent prayer.

It wasn't until they were in the air that they saw the four Purple Dragons climbing onto the roof they were now sailing towards, frowns on their faces and guns at the ready.

 _Into the red._

"Goongala!" Casey shouted his battle cry as he only barely missed the edge of the roof, twisting his ankle to land safely. It was enough footing to carry him forward at a low roll, avoiding the first barrage of shots fired before he tackled the first Dragon to the ground, knocking him down hard enough to render him unconscious. By the time he turned around, ready for more, the other three had been subdued, a cocky grinning turtle standing over them, spinning his sai in delight.

"Gettin' slow, Jones."

"Ain't Leo always sayin' somethin' about quality over quantity?" Both shared a light chuckle as they moved to the opposite end of the roof, preparing for their next jump.

 _In too deep._

"Think you can handle the jump with that?"

Casey looked from his twisted ankle to the neighbouring roof, cracking his neck as he judged the distance. "One way to find out." He smiled toothily.

 _Still with me._

"I could throw you."

Casey barked a laugh. "Fine, but you're gonna have to dive after me if I—"

The air was suddenly forced from his lungs when the turtle dove into his chest, careening them both off the roof in time to avoid several rounds of lead shot with accuracy at their previous location.

 _Always._

Bullets continued to fly above them as the two fell past a seemingly never-ending myriad of windows and balconies. Bulky arms curled further around Casey's torso as the pavement made it's way towards them. His mind was fighting so hard to catch up with what was happening that it took him a moment to realize his friend had turned to absorb the impact for both of them with his shell.

 _Falling. Fast. Hard._

Casey could do nothing but stare in horror. Fear. Could do nothing to stop the turtle from protecting him. Could do nothing but shout in protest.

The ground was coming up too quick.

"RAPH!"

 _Hit._

A resounding crack echoed through the alley as the pavement refused to bow or give way to the two vigilante's sudden appearance. Casey blinked slowly. His head was spinning, his ears were ringing, and it took a long moment for him to remember how to move.

What just happened… What just happened?

 _Spilling onto the concrete._

"—off me, Jones!"

Casey finally cued in, shaking his head of the ringing as he rolled off his friend. "Raph!" He watched as the turtle suppressed a grimace when he sat up, reaching a hand back towards his shell. Casey was scrambling behind him in an instant for support. "Oh man…" He breathed, catching sight of the large crack splitting diagonally across the center of Raph's shell. It didn't look deep, but it sure looked painful. "You alright?"

"I'll live." But Casey could tell he was in a lot of pain. Raph reached back to feel the crack. "S'It bad?"

"Well, I think you've effectively ruined any warranty you—"

"Sh!"

 _Can't move._

Raph suddenly pulled Casey back to the ground, covering them both with nearby trash bags. Casey grimaced at the smell but remained still and silent when he heard voices from the roof.

"I don't see 'em, boss. Maybe they—"

"What? Vanished into thin air?" Hun leaned over the ledge, looking into the alley himself. "Check the dumpster and trash cans. They're not gonna ninja their way out of this one."

The men glanced at each other, earning a glare from Hun. "Did I not make myself clear?"

"It's a long way down, boss. And no ladders in sight. There's no way they could have—"

Hun had the man's neck in a vice grip faster than a cobra snap, bringing him nose to nose with murder in his eyes. "Find me a body, or I'm gonna gut yours."

The man choked on oxygen as he was released, not even bothering to fumble for a response before heading back to the nearest ladder on the previous building, the other lackey's following right behind as they shouted over the roof-tops to check the nearby alleys.

Hun ground his teeth, taking one last look down the building before heading back to join his men. The turtle and his friend weren't going to get away that easy. Not this time.

 _Can't leave._

When the voices had died off, the two in hiding shoved the garbage off themselves, Casey batting the fowl stench from his nose with his hand. "How can you stand that smell?"

"I live in the sewers with Mikey and his bathe-only-when-forced policy." Raph stood shakily, looking around for an exit. "No manholes. We'll have to climb."

"Next time you might wanna think of these things _before_ jumping off the build—Whoa!" Casey moved into time to catch Raph, who was gripping his head when his legs buckled under him. "You alright?"

"Just a little… dizzy."

"If this is some ploy to get me to carry you, I'm leaving your ass in the trash." But Casey's face got serious when Raph pulled his hand away from his head and dripped red.

"Dude, you're bleeding." The blood was obvious now, trickling from a small gash at the back of his friend's head.

"I'm… fine…" Raph only managed two steps before his eyes closed without warning. Casey caught his fall once again, snagging him with an arm under his shoulder.

"I gotcha buddy." Lowering the turtle to the ground, Casey took a closer look at the head wound. It wasn't bleeding much, but Raph definitely was down for the count. Casey scrubbed a hand through his hair, blowing out a long breath. "Man, now we're gonna get a Leo _and_ Donnie lecture. It might be better to just sit put and face those Dragon goons."

The minute the words escaped his lips, he heard voices down at the end of the alley.

 _My fault._

Casey quickly looked for an exit, snagging Raph under the arms and attempting to lift him up. "Dude, how much do you weigh!?" He griped, knowing immediately that climbing the building wasn't an option.

And with no manhole or ladders around, they didn't have any escape.

 _Trapped._

Dragons filtered into the open alley, the red moon behind them giving an ominous aura to the violence in their eyes. Casey could only stand helplessly, staring at the mob of gang members heading their way, with an unconscious mutant turtle dangling in his arms.

There was no way out. And the Dragons knew it. They weren't going to make this quick.

 _My turn._

"Oh man…" Casey sighed, his annoyed frown covering the honest chill of fear running down his spine. "We are so screwed."

"Get out, Jones."

Casey watched as his friend mumbled the order, fumbling for consciousness in what looked like a difficult battle. He snorted in derision. "Not a chance, bro." There was no way he could win this battle, but it'd be a cold day in hell before he ditched a friend.

A brother.

Leaning Raph on the wall, Casey stood tall, putting himself between Raph and the mob of gangsters as he rolled his neck and cracked his knuckles. "I got this."

 _My turn._

* * *

I tried a new style with this one. Not sure if it turned out how I wanted. The sleep deprivation of insomnia made it seem a lot more intense while I was writing it.

Alas.

 _End of Line_

 _-TRAaP_


End file.
